You're on track to get doubled donations (and unlock a reward for the colleague who referred you). Keep up the great work!
Take credit for your charitable giving! Check out your tax receipts
Donate
To use your $50 gift card credits, find a project to fund and we'll automatically apply your credits at checkout. Find a classroom project
Skip to main content

Help teachers & students in your hometown this season!
Use code HOME at checkout and your donation will be matched up to $100.

Your school email address was successfully verified.

See this teacher's page

This teacher needs your help!

Mrs. Kirshen from Pleasant Hill, CA is requesting art supplies through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

See what Mrs. Kirshen is requesting

Sketching in Science Class

Help me give my students sketchbooks to record observations of nature, as well as office supplies like pencils, pens, calculators and erasers to be used with their sketchbooks.

FULLY FUNDED! Mrs. Kirshen's classroom raised $486

This project is fully funded

My Students

My 7th and 8th grade students are a diverse group, representing a variety of socio-economic levels, academic ability levels, nationalities and more. We are a full-inclusion school, so I teach all students, including those with special needs, gifted, and English learners.

All of them receive a rigorous STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) and humanities education, along with a wide variety of engaging and relevant elective courses.

Following STEM principles, we have developed activity-based science courses in which students are guided through the topics while acquiring skills in experimentation, measuring, and lab techniques.

I believe science class should be fun, relevant, and engaging. I want students to love science so much that they choose to study it in high school and college.

My Project

I have always been reluctant to draw because I don't think I'm very skilled. My own lack of confidence means that I usually don't ask my students to draw so that they don't feel bad. I attended a science teacher training at the Smithsonian's Natural History Museum where I was forced to keep a sketchbook to record my observations throughout labs, lectures and field trips. It was an amazing experience. I was inspired and want to help my students create their own scientific notebook with sketches, whether they think they are artistically talented or not.

Maria Montessori said “We cannot create observers by saying, ‘observe,’ but by giving them the power and the means for this observation and those means are procured through education of the senses.” My students need to start practicing and refining their observation skills.

Drawings don't have to be perfect, but the more they try to draw what they observe, the more details they will actually notice. And their observation skills will get better with time and repeated use of their sketchbooks.

Along with the sketchbooks for each student, I am requesting a variety of pencils, colored pencils, erasers and permanent markers to help students use their sketchbooks. The calculators will be helpful as they measure living things that they are sketching, share their numbers with the class, and then average the measurements for the class. Averaging multiple numbers will be much quicker with a calculator. All of these supplies will help my students to be more engaged in their studies.

Mrs. Kirshen Sequoia Middle School Grades 6-8

Equity Focus

This project directly supports students at a historically underfunded school. Learn more about our Equity Focus.

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

Pleasant Hill, CA View local requests

Half of students from low‑income households Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more

300 students impacted 4donors

Boost your odds

Add a profile photo in addition to your classroom photo. If you add a photo, it'll show up right here on your project page.

You are more likely to receive funding if you put a face to your name.

Upload a photo

Top rated for efficiency and transparency.

You donate directly to the teacher or project you care about and see where every dollar you give goes.

Expand the "Where your donation goes" section below to see exactly what Mrs. Kirshen is requesting.

See our finances

TEACHERS, FEELING INSPIRED?

You can start a project with the same resources being requested here!

Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
VEEPPO Brown Kraft Paper Soft Cover Small Spiral Blank Notebooks and Journals 4/8 Bulk Pack 100g Thick Cream White Paper 12x18cm (White Page-Pack of 8) • Amazon Business $25.75 5 $128.75
Sharp EL233SB 10 Pack EL233SBX10 Calculator • Amazon Business $25.35 2 $50.70
Crayola Colored Pencils 12 Each (Pack of 24), Pre-sharpened, Assorted Colors - 68-0004 • Amazon Business $35.71 1 $35.71
Crayola Colored Pencils, 50 Count, Adult Coloring • Amazon Business $6.97 4 $27.88
ARTEZA #2 HB Wood Cased Graphite Pencils, Pack of 180, Bulk, Pre-Sharpened with Latex Free Erasers, Bulk pack, Smooth write for Exams, School, Office, Drawing and Sketching • Amazon Business $27.48 1 $27.48
SKKSTATIONERY Assorted Colorful Pencils, Pencil Assortment, Awards & Incentives Pencils, 2 HB, 144/box. • Amazon Business $23.99 1 $23.99
Sharpie Permanent Markers, Fine Point, Black, 36 Count • Amazon Business $17.04 1 $17.04
Botanical Line Drawing: 200 Step-by-Step Flowers, Leaves, Cacti, Succulents, and Other Items Found in Nature • Amazon Business $13.59 1 $13.59
Sargent Art 36 Count Premium Pink Eraser Class Pack, Best Buy Assortment, 36-1012 • Amazon Business $10.40 1 $10.40
Sharpie Metallic Permanent Markers, Fine Point, Silver, 12 Count • Amazon Business $9.99 1 $9.99

Materials cost

$345.53

Vendor shipping charges

 FREE

Sales tax

 $31.62

3rd party payment processing fee

$5.18

Fulfillment labor & materials

$30.00

Total project cost

$412.33

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$72.76

Total project goal

$485.09

How we calculate what's needed

Total project goal

 $485.09

2 Donors

-$195.97

Donations toward project cost

-$188.47

Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$7.50

match offer

-$263.36

Match offer toward project cost

-$223.86

Match offer to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$39.50

Excluded support for DonorsChoose

-$25.76

Still needed View calculationHide calculation

 $0.00

Our team works hard to negotiate the best pricing and selections available.

View complete list Show less

Give the most requested basic supplies

See teacher requests

Give back to your community

Find opportunities to impact local needs by exploring a map of classroom projects near you.

See local area

Project Activity

Project Activity
Back to top

DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. Kirshen and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

See how DonorsChoose works
{"pmaHash":"","showProjectRecommendations":true,"leadGenEnabled":true,"hideTeacherDetails":false,"schoolState":"CA","teacherPossessivePronoun":"her","PMsManager":null,"schoolGradeType":{"id":3,"name":"Middle School"},"TeacherPMForms":{},"completingDonationAmount":0,"teacherHasClassroomPhoto":true,"proposalURL":"https://www.donorschoose.org/project/sketching-in-science-class/4031731/","mayHaveReplacements":true,"numStudents":300,"isEquityFocusV1":true,"teacherScreenName":"Mrs. Kirshen","isEquityFocus":true,"proposalHash":"737388942","isApplePayMobileOnly":true,"progressBarPercentage":100.00,"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"photosPublished":true,"queryString":"","DonorPMForm":null,"shouldTrackEquityFocusV2":true,"schoolCity":"Pleasant Hill","teachersOnPage":[476816],"isTeacherViewingTheirOwnProject":false,"minimizedLeadGenEnabled":true,"proposalId":4031731,"proposalMessageFormModel":null,"numActiveProjects":0,"verifyShowPhotos":"","eligibleToBeCopied":false,"schoolId":4159,"schoolName":"Sequoia Middle School","authorIds":{"476816":{"owner":"Mrs. Kirshen","donationSalutations":{}}},"displayedPercentFunded":1.0,"proposalsOnPage":[4031731],"pmaId":"","teacherProfilePhotoURL":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp476816_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1657573774910","teacherHasProfilePhoto":true,"currentWorkflowStatusCode":21,"teacherChallengeId":35983,"isApplePayEnabled":true,"fundedByTarget":false,"activeProject":null,"donorIdsForImpactPhotoCheck":["NjQwMjI1Mg==","NDc2ODE2","NjM1NTM4OQ=="],"teacherId":476816,"schoolCounty":"Contra Costa","fullyFunded":true,"isStudentLed":false,"isExpired":true,"schoolStateObj":{"code":"CA","name":"California"}}